Making a great first impression

You never get a second chance to make a great first impression.  I don’t know who first said that but I don’t think there’s a soul on the planet, or at least in the United States, that hasn’t heard that saying.  The best thing about it is that it’s true.  You only get one shot at making a first impression and it’s in your best interest to make it a good one.  So how do we accomplish that?

It’s not hard or complicated to make a good first impression. In fact, it’s so absolutely simple that it’s amazing so many people screw it up.  Here are the things you need to know.

It’s all about the non-verbal’s – When making a first impression nonverbal is king.  You make a first impression within the first 3 seconds and before you have the opportunity to utter a word.  That’s right, people will judge you as soon as they see you and the number of conclusions they will make about you will make your head spin.  In this amazing brief period you will be slotted into one of several mental slots in their minds and once your in one of these slots you’re going to have a hard time getting out of it.

Pay attention to how you dress. – How you dress has a tremendous impact on how you are perceived and consequentially, the first impression you make.  While it’s getting a little long in the tooth author John T. Molloy’s book, John T. Molloy’s New Dress for Success shows the results of his research on how different clothing styles impacted the first impressions made on others.  It’s worth a read if you sincerely want to manage your image for maximum impact.  Some more up-to-date references include 5 Steps To Professional Presence: How to Project Confidence, Competence, and Credibility at Work and First Impressions: What You Don’t Know About How Others See You

Thin is in – The evidence is indisputable, being fit and trim gives a more positive impression than even being slightly overweight. If making a good impression is important to you, and your even slightly overweight, time to lose a few pounds.

Your hair style speaks volumes – After how your dressed and how much you weigh the next most striking component of your first impression non-verbal’s is your hair.  Every woman knows she’s judged on her hair style and men need to know this as well.   Take care to keep your hair clean, well groomed and in the style of your industry/field.

Make Eye Contact -You’ll hear this again and again when it comes to effectively using your body language.  Making eye contact is so important to making a positive first impression.  Good, solid eye contact communicates self-confidence and show that you are interested in the other person.

Give a firm, solid handshake – The handshake is the first physical contact you will have with the person you are meeting and it factors high in importance.  This simple gesture has an enormous impact on how you will be perceived and will set the tone for your entire encounter.  The handshake is so important that I will spend considerable time on it in future posts.

Be able to carry on an articulate conversation – After all that non-verbal stuff you’re now talking. Don’t blow it.  Make your conversation clear, pleasant and be sure to enunciate clearly.

That’s it, the seven components that go into making a great first impression.  How many of them are you applying?

Tagged as: First Impressions, Image Management